John Hunter Obituary

John Hunter, Jr.
AIKEN - Mr. John Morton "Jack" Hunter, Jr., 75, husband of Mary Stelling Hunter, passed away Sunday, November 21, 2021 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
Visitation will be held on Friday, December 3, 2021 from 5 to 7 pm at Shellhouse Funeral Home (924 Hayne Ave, Aiken SC 29801). A Memorial Service and Celebration of Life will be held at 2 pm Saturday, December 4, 2021 at First Presbyterian Church of Aiken (224 Barnwell Ave). Live streaming will be available on the church website, aikenpresbyterian.org. The family will greet friends in the Family Life Center following the service and encourages the use of masks at the funeral home and in the church.
Jack was born in Charlotte, NC, to his late parents, John Morton Hunter and Mary Anderson Hunter. In 1955, the family moved to Aiken, SC, where Jack grew up and graduated from Aiken High School in 1964. After graduating from Erskine College and serving several years in the Air Force, Jack entered USC School of Law and graduated in June 1977. Then, he returned to Aiken where he practiced law for roughly 40 years.
Throughout his life, Jack was very active in the lives of his family as coach, cheerleader, advocate and supporter. He was available to listen and offer advice whenever it was required of him. This attribute extended beyond family to friends and even strangers.
Jack was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Aiken for 65 years where he served as a Sunday School teacher, Deacon, and Elder as well as anything else asked of him. His service to the community included membership/leadership on several boards such as Tri-Development Center, Helping Hands, Friends of the Library, and Aiken City Planning Commission. He considered his numerous terms on the Aiken County School Board as his most important service to the community and valued the working relationships with his fellow board members.
As a quintessential lifelong learner, Jack was a voracious reader and loved to travel. He enjoyed trips with family and friends to numerous domestic and foreign destinations, with a favorite being an African safari. Jack was always physically active, including running, snow skiing, and, in retirement, playing golf. As an avid golfer, a highlight of his week was playing golf with a men's group from church.
Jack will be remembered as a loving spouse, father, and grandfather. In addition to Mary, his wife of over 50 years, he is survived by daughters, Amy Hunter and Katherine Hunter Sutherland, as well as granddaughters, Sydney and Megan Sutherland.
In addition to his immediate family, he is survived by sisters Betts (Art) Gatewood and Melissa (Phil) Smith, sisters-in-law Vivienne Stopper and Ellen Stelling (Greg Ohlsen), 7 nieces and nephews, and 8 great nieces and nephews. One of Jack's greatest times each year included a week at Edisto Beach with the extended family, golfing with the nephews, teaching the next generation how to catch blue crabs with turkey necks, and laughing/cheering during the family talent show.
Jack felt the love of family and friends and would often remind them of the importance of a good attitude in all circumstances. Among his favorite quotes was one from Viktor Frankl, "When we cannot change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves."
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to First Presbyterian Church Memorial Fund (224 Barnwell Ave NW, Aiken SC 29801), ACTS (340 Park Ave SW, Aiken SC 29801), or Friends of the Aiken County Library (PO Box 7041, Aiken SC 29804).
SHELLHOUSE FUNERAL HOME, INC.,
924 HAYNE AVE., AIKEN, SC 29801